Page 54 of Betrayal from Beyond
To the side, a couple more of the people trapped along the wall sidled out of range. Kara had to keep Petra’s attention on her. “You had your chance,” she admitted. “But all of that is over now.”
“All due to you and that husband of yours. He’s no better than his randy, rotten grandsire. Novision. Why cannot any of yousee? I gave you the opportunity. You might have taken your part in things, secured your spot in the new order.” Petra waved the hand with the gun. “But it’s your chance that is over now. I have new plans, greater goals. And I’m not alone, whatever you say. There are others who can see the truth, as you refuse to. This country will get what it deserves. I will see to it.”
Kara rolled her eyes. “We’ve heard it before.”
“Bitch,” Petra spat. “You have become too much of a distraction. All you had to do was to cower away until I set things in motion, but you had to interfere.”
Her tone had been growing more strident, and at last someone in the party beyond their corner noticed their tense tableau. A cry went up. In a rush, the people who had been hovering over at the wall ran for the safety of the bigger crowd. As they raced to get away, the people they moved through were picking up on their panic. Someone gave a shout of alarm and the crowd began to surge away from them and toward the doors.
“I tire of this.” Petra waved the gun again. “Give me the painting.”
Behind her, Kara saw Gyda fighting against the current of fleeing guests.No. She stepped backward, away from Petra, and toward the door hidden in the wall.
“I had initially thought to stretch this out a little,” the woman said. “I meant to pick off your little band one by one. But between you and that damned Sculley, you’ve left me no choice.” She raised the gun. “I confess, it is no hardship to kill you first. I will enjoy watching Kier suffer your loss before I kill him, too.”
Rage surged in Kara’s chest, but she was in heavy skirts while Petra wore a maid’s uniform, lighter and easier to move in. All she could think to do was to lure the woman away from the crowd, away from Gyda. She moved backward again. She wasclose, so close to the concealed door. “This is too public, isn’t it? Think about it. At this point, no one has seen anything save for a rogue maid who might have objected to Sculley’s mockery of Society. You can take the painting and go out the back.”
Petra considered it for the briefest of moments. “So I thought, when I ordered Sculley to remove the painting. No one who understood what it revealed had seen it. But now it is too late. He exposed me and then scurried off like a rat. Who knows who he’s talking to? You have seen the painting, as has the Winther woman. There will be gossip. He will be questioned about why he removed it. It cannot be stopped now.” Her lips pressed thin. “The pair of you have destroyed my ruse. I have lost valuable time because you once again have lobbed a boulder into the smooth flow of my plans.” She grinned evilly. “You speak of relief? It will be a relief to kill you.”
“No.” Gyda stepped in behind the woman, her voice ringing out. “You’ve had your fun, but there are constables coming in the front. It’s over.”
Petra threw her head back and sighed. “Once again.No vision. Are you people incapable of looking beyond the present moment? Can you not see the steps unfolding out ahead of you? Do you think I came here unprepared?” Abruptly, she shifted her stance and turned to point the gun at Gyda. “I am glad you returned. At least you have afforded me the opportunity to make Levett suffer at the last.” She tossed a glance over her shoulder at Kara. “In your last moments, you can watch your friend die before you.”
Kara didn’t wait. She leapt toward the woman, but beside her, the concealed door flew open. A blur of motion swept past her and Lord Charles collided with Petra, reaching for her gun.
They grappled. Petra’s back slammed into the wall, knocking Sculley’s art askew. She growled like a dog and cursed Charles asshe fought to keep the pistol. They were so close and moving so fast, Kara could not find a way to intervene.
A shot rang out.
“Charles!” Gyda shouted.
Her beau flung out a hand toward her and slumped to the floor.
Still regaining her balance, Petra threw a triumphant glare at Kara—who dived for her feet.
They both went down. Kara heard the gun skitter across the floor. She held on to one of Petra’s legs to keep her from going after it.
“Let go of me, damn you!” With her other leg, Petra aimed a vicious kick at Kara’s head.
The blow slammed into her. And then another.
Dazed, blinking hard, she felt the woman’s leg slide out of her grasp. Petra climbed to her feet.
Through a fog, Kara saw her glance toward the gun.
Gyda was kneeling over Charles, pleading frantically with him and shouting for help.
“Kara!” It was Niall’s voice now, his shout loud in the emptying space.
Cursing, Petra turned to flee, but she paused long enough to kick Kara hard in the stomach.
Oof!Pain exploded.
Another kick. Kara curled up, retching, but through watery eyes she saw Petra disappear through the hidden door.
“Kara! Was that—Oh, hell. Kara?”
She tried to blink the fog away, but it was closing in on her. Niall was trying to help her to sit up. Nausea swamped her. She broke out in a sweat, then bent over again and vomited all over her husband’s boots.
